Combined washing, rinshing, and drying machine



Dec. 19, 1933.

R. Y. BOVEE COMBINED WASHING, RINSING, AND DRYING MACHINE Filed A ril 5. 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENIDR gzw-M/y Dec. 19, 1933. I R. Y. BOVEE COMBINED WASHING, RINSING, AND DRYING MACHINE Filed April 5, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 A'I'T DENIE'Y'E Dec. 19, 1933.

R. Y. BOVEE COMBINED WASHING, RINSING, AND DRYING MACHINE Filed April 5, 1928 6 sheets-sheet s I'NL VENT 4 M TT U ii-KEYS TIER Dec. 19, 1933.

R. Y. BOVEE COMBINED WASHING, RINSING, AND DRYING MACHINE Filed April 5, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INYEINiIT IE Wfi RNEYE Deg. 19,1933. R. Y. BOVEE COMBINED WASHING, RINSING, AND DRYING MACHINE Filed April 5, 192a SSheetS-S heet 5 INYENTDR Dec, 19, 1933. R. Y. BQVEE 1,940,241 7 CQMBINED WASHING, RINSING, AND DRYING MACHINE Filed April 5, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 TT UENEYE Yet a further object lies in the provision of a Patented Dec. 19, 1933 UNITED STATES COMBINED WASHING, RIN SING, AND

l DRYING MACHINE Ransom Y. Bovee,

Illinois Peoria, Altorfer Bros.- Company,

Ill., assignmto a corporation of Application April 5, 1928. Serial No. 267,573

which accomplishes not only the washing and rinsing operations, but also the drying operation, all of said operations being accomplished within a single tub and in cooperation with adjacent container members.

Still another object is the provision of a washing machine tub, power driven mechanism for reciprocating same during the washing operation, and also for rotating the tub in a single direction for the purpose of spinning the water therein out of the tub and hence accomplish the drying operation, there being provided adjacent containers to receive the water. V n

A furtherobject is the provision of a machine including a tub member fashioned not only to be oscillated to accomplish the clothes-washing operation, but also to be spun in a manner to ac= complish thedrying operation, there being pro-,

wash water and rinse vided a wash water chamber surrounding the tub in such a manner 'as to receive the wash water following the washing operation and another container co-operating with the wash water container and the washing machine tub to permit the flow of rinse water into the tubv following the washing operation, and another container cooperating with the wash water container and the washing machine tub to permit the flowof rinse water into the tub following the ejection of the wash water and theaccomplishing of the rinsing operation prior to the ejection of the rinse water backinto the rinse tub'before the tub is finally spun in a manner to accomplish the drying of the clothes.

A still further object is in the" provision of a combined washing, rinsing and drying machine, the same being provided with a. valve arrangement permitting the flow of wash water or rinse water into the washing machine tub as desired, as well as the complete draining of the machine following the washing, rinsing and drying operations.

6 Claims. (01. 68-18) single unit machine comprising a washing machine tub having agitator portions therein, the same being adapted to be oscillated for the washing operation and spun to accomplish the drying operation, said tub being immediately surrounded by a vertically movable wash water. container, the same being adapted in one position to receive wash water ejected by the centrifugal movement of the tub and in its other position to permit rinse water in the tub to be ejected over said wash. water container into a surrounding rinse water receiving member.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the following specification taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partially in section, showing a general view of my combined washing, rinsing and dryingmachine;

Fig. 2 is a planview of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail showing of the driving mechanism and valve mechanismn.

.Flg 4 is a plan view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a planview, from below, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view, taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail showing of the water valve controlling mechanism for the various tubs;

Fig. 8 is a detail vertical cross section of the slide valve; I v

Fig. 9 is a cross section on the. line 99 of Fi 8;

Fig. 10 is a detail vertical cross section of the clutch mechanism; v

Fig. 11 is a cross section on the line 11-11 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a detail plan view of a portion of the sliding clutch member;

Fig. 13 is an elevation of the same; Y I

Fig. 14 is a detail plan view of another part of the sliding clutch mechanism; and Fig. 15 is a vertical cross section on'the line 15-15 of Fig. 14.

Before referring to the drawings, itmight be stated that applicant'is aware of washing machinesin which there is provided a single tub which is not only capable of oscillatory movement to accomplish the washing operation, but

also of centrifugal movement to accomplish the drying of the clothes. Howev'er, applicant presents herein a somewhat difierent character of washer than he believes has ever been shown in eration, but also permits the wash water to be ejected from the machine, thereafter rinse water -to be permitted to flow into the tub, said rinse water being contained in a compartment in the 5 structure itself, the accomplishment thereafter of rinsing the clothes thoroughly, and finally, by centrifugal movement ejecting the rinse water from the tub back into the rinse water compartment, with a final drying of the clothes by centrifugal action.

This sequence of operation is accomplished, as will be hereafter described, by a novel arrangement of parts and a unique valve arrangement simple in construction but accomplishing practically any desired sequence or reversing of the various necessary operations that attend the washing, rinsing and drying of clothes.

Referring to the drawings, the machine is perhaps best shown generally in Fig. l. Plural leg portions are. shown'at 10, united at their upper 'ends by means of a framing 11 fashioned to receive the plural tub members later to be de- I scribed. The lower ends ofthe legs are connected by means of an additional supporting member 12, there being provided the conventional cast roller members 13 at the base of the legs 10.

A general framing and supporting mechanism 14 is disposed beneath the before mentioned framing 11, and through its various parts supports the power and driving mechanism for the washer now to be described.

Suitably connected, as at 15 and 16, is a conventional electric motor 17, its extended drivin axis 18 being coupled as at 19, tothe driving mechanism for the'washer. A horizontally disposed shaft 20 is suitably supported in bearings 21 and 22. A worm gear 23 on this shaft meshes.

with a pinion 24 loosely mounted on the vertical drive shaft 25. A second worm gear 26 meshes with a second gear 27, which in turn is supported in a stub shaft 28, which has a bearing support 29 at its upper end as well as a second bearing support 30 disposed directly below the gear 27.

Fixedly secured to the lower end'of the stub transmitted through the crank and p'rtman to an oscillating movement of the crank 35 about the lower end of the vertical drive shaft 25.

It is desired that through this described driving mechanism and other parts at one time the vertical-drive shaft be oscillated and at another time driven continuously in one direction. To accomplish these results, the following clutch mechanism is utilized. First, it mightube stated that as far as the vertical drive shaft is conearned, it is supported at its lower end in a bearing 36, there being other bearings supp rting this vertical drive shaft, which will later be described, and which description more properly comes in connection with the washing machine tub and other mechanism.

Slidably keyed, as at 3'7, to the drivel-shaft 25, is a clutch portion. generally described as 38. This clutch member includes vertically disposed pins 39 which when moved downwardly {in a manner to engage similarly shaped sockets 40 in the crank 35, accomplish the clutching of said crank to the vertical drive shaft and consequent oscillatory movement thereof.

Means for moving this crank 35 not only in a downward but in an upward direction is accomplished by means of a clutch shifting member 41, pivoted as at 42 in a part of the before mentioned general supporting means. An upwardly projecting end 43 of the crank 41 has attached thereto a clutch shifting rod 44, which at its other end is secured as at 45 by means of an eccentric crank 46 to a second clutch-control lever 47 extending upwardly along the side of the machine and finally being connected to a crank 48 which is in turn controlled through a manually operated clutch control lever 49, there being provided, as may be clearly seen in Fig. 3, a dial arrangement 50 whichdiscloses the relative position of the manual control lever 49 to the clutch controlling the driving means.

The clutch portion 38 is adapted to move vertically into engagement with a clutch portion 51 normally maintained in a downward position by means of a series of springs 52 contacting plural balls 53. This clutch portion 51 is movable vertically in a manner to engage a corresponding similarly shaped surface upon the lower part of the pinion or gear 24, with the result that when so engaged, said gear will be clutched to the verticaldrive shaft, resulting in the latter being given a continuous rotating movement. It will also be noted that clutch member 51, when in its released or downward position, has its exterior surface 54-engaging a similarly shaped adjacent surface 55 in a manner to accomplish a braking action to the rotating drive shaft immediately following the unclutching of the driving connection thereto and while the main clutch portion 38 is in its neutral position, or in other words, prior to any lowering of same, which would force it into engagement with the crank which, as has been described, accomplishes an oscillatory movement of the vertical drive shaft.

vA cylindrical column 56 surrounds the vertical drive shaft, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, said column terminating at a point below the tub structures later to be described, and being supported by means of an inwardly projecting plate 57 secured inthe plural manner shown at 53. This surrounding column also finds additional supporting means in the before mentioned framing and supporting mechanism disposed beneath the tub members.

A stationary tub 59 is sealed at its bottom portion with respect to the vertical column 56 by means of the packing 60. Disposed within this stationary tub 59 is a movable tub 61, which has a spring tensioned,'water-tight packing 62, disposed adjacent the vertical column 56 and being fashioned in a manner to prevent leakage of water about the vertical column, irrespective of the position of said movable tub upon said column. A third tub portion, which is actually the washing machine tub, is shown at 63 and is maintained normally in a fixed position as respects vertical movement with relation to the vertical column 56. This tub 63 has not only a spring tension water-tight packing 64 to prevent leakage of water from the tub about the column 56, but also a split wooden bearing 65 which permits either oscillation 6r rotation of the tub about the column, not only in a non-leakable manner, but also a substantially non-frictional wardly projecting agitator blades 6'7, the same acting to assist in the agitation of the clothes content of the tub when same is accomplishing the washing operation. The positioning of this water agitating member within the tub is accomplished by means of lugs 68 hired to the bottom of tub 63 which engage the similarly shaped apertures 68 in the water agitating member.

A bearing 69 isdisposed at a point substantially intermediate of the vertical drive shaft and surrounding said shaft at a point adjacent the bottom of the washing machine tub and inwardly of the column 56. This bearing has in connection therewith a packing '70 which prevents any possible leakage of water thereabove, as well as preventing any lubricant for .the vertical shaft from rising about this bearing.

The vertical drive shaft has a third bearing 71 disposed adjacentthe upper. end'of the vertical column 56. This bearing 71 is fashioned in such manner that same may be manually oiled through the oil opening '72. The upper end of the bearing comprises a wood block or bearing 73. A cross piece 76 is supported on the rim of the tub by its two end portions '74, which are attached to segmental flanges 174 on the tub by rivets 75. Between the end portions, the top edge of the tub is cut away, as shown in Fig. 1, to leave a space 173. When the tub is rotated constantly in one direction, the water will rise by centrifugal force over the side of the tub through the gaps 1'73.

The horizontal strip 76, most clearly shown in -Fig. 4, extends entirely across the upper end of the tub and carries intermediate thereof a bearing member 77 which contacts the upper side of the wooden block 73. The portion 78 of the bearing, generally referred to as 77, is splined to the upper end of the vertical drive shaft and consequentlywhen the latter is rotated or reciprocated the tub 63 will have similar movement transmitted thereto.

-We find now substantially three tubs, namely, the outer tube which is adapted to contain rinse water, a second intermediate tub which is adapted to receive the wash water, and third,

the main wash tub in which the clothes are not member 82, which operates to maintain the floating of the vertically movable wash tub 61- within the desired limits. Intermediate of the top 81 is a bearing support 83 for the upper end of the vertical drive shaft 25. A cap member 84 is threaded as at 85 to the bearing in a manner to provide a certain degree .of adjustment for the vertical drive shaft. 1 r

The tub 61, as previously explained, is adapted to move in a vertical manner upon the cylindrical column 56. The tub 61 is guidedat its upper end by means of the downwardly depending portions 82. g

The tub 61, when empty, is normally floated by the rinse water contained in rinsejub 59. The inner edge 86. of the top portion 86 of tub 61, as shown in Fig. 1 is spaced from the tub 63 sufllciently to clear the flanges 174 on thetop of the tub 63'. When the tub 61 is in its raised position, as shown in dotted lines at 186, Fig. 1, water ejected from tub 63 by its spinning motion will fall into tub 61. However, when it is desired to fill the floating wash water tub or container 61 and thereafter permit rinse .water to pass from the rinse tub into the main washing machine tub 63, it is necessary to supply some latch mechanism for holding the wash water tub 61 in an upward position. -Assuming that the tub 61 has normally been floated by the water in the rinse tub to an upward position, with its top portion 86 in a position above the opening 173 at the upper end of the washing machine tub and in a position to catch the wash water discharged by the centrifugal movement of tub 63, a tensioned latch member is provided comprising an inwardly projecting catch portion 87 adapted to-enter a guideway'88 formed in the side of the tub 61, said catch also being capable of engaging a deeper indentation 89 immediately below the before mentioned guideway 88 when the tub 61 is in its raised position, in such manner as to normally support it in said elevated position until the operator manually depresses the spring tensioned lever 90 to release the catch 87 from the portion 89, and thus permit the tub to be lowered. This spring tensioned latch mechanism is so fashioned as to permit the operator, even when the tub 61 is in its lowered or non-floating position, to depend the catch 87 downwardly and slightly laterally in a manner to actually engage the indentation 89 and to manually raise the tub to an elevated position.

The catch acts not only as a means for supporting the tub in an elevated position, but also by manual movement to actually raise the tub to that position if the tub has not been previously floated upwardly.

'There has now been described in detail the combined washing, rinsing and drying mechanism, and therefore attention is now directed to the valve mechanismwhich permits control of the water contained in the various tubs.

'It has been previously stated that the bearing 69 containing packing 70 prevents upward movement of the water within the cylindrical column 56. Similarly, a washer 91 adjacent the bottom of the. cylindrical tube prevents exit of water below. As so far explained, there is no possibility of transmission of water from one tub to another.

'Howevenit will be seen that there are a series of water apertures 92 disposed in the column 56 adjacent the bottom of the washing machine tub and within the water-tight bearing, said openings providing a communicating way between the washing tub 63 and the interior of the column 56. The cover for bearing 6 5 is so rformed and secured bythe rivets 93 as to allow for a plurality of openings 193 in the bearing 65, and although water, may not pass from the wash tub into the wash water tub immediately below, nevertheless the water may passfrom the wash tub through the bearing and through the circumferential apertures '92. A second series of apertures 94 are formed in the-cylindrical column 56 in a position to open into the. wash water tub shown in the cylindrical column 56 opening into the rinse water tub.

Obviously, without any other means for controlling the passage of water from one tub to the other by way of the interior of the cylindrical tube, water might pass freely from one tub to the other. However, in order to overcome this passage of water. and to control the flow from one tub to another, applicant provides an interior sleevev 96 fitting the interior of the cylindrical column 56 in a water-tight manner, such fit, however, permitting a slid ing upward and downward movement. This sleeve 96, as may be clearly seen, has a single 3 disposed with respect to the series of openings 94 and 95 as to permit movement either to a position to coincide with said series of openings, or to a neutral position where there will be no possibility of water communication between the inside of the column 56 and either of the tub members.

Means for raising and lowering the sleeve 96, the upper end of which has been described as 98 and the lower end as 99, is provided in a rack formation 100, upon one side of the sleeve, and a gear 101 connected to a crank arm 102 which is adapted to be moved by means of a rod 103, in turnconnected to a-crank arm 104, movement of which is transmitted by a second rod 106, the Aatter being connected at its upper end to a crank 107 which is connected to a manual water valve control lever 108. A dial for recording in a visible manner the relative position of the water controlling valves with respect to the manual control lever 108 is shown at 109.

A water exit portion 110 is disposed at a point below the valve and communicates withthe interior of the column 56 in a manner, if desired, as will be later described, to drain the contents of the tub. Any character of plug or hose member may be disposed in the open end of the water drain 110, and it may be assumed that same is closed by means of a plug or the like.

As respects the operation of the water control valve; it is thought that same can be best described by carrying the machine through its normal operation. First, the valve 96 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the same being a neutral or closed position. The wash water is placed in the tub 63, with the result that a small portion of the water may of course pass through the opening in the bearing for the tub and the apertures 92 into the column; However, said'water' cannot, due to the closed or neutral position of the valve, pass into the rinse or wash water tubs or out the main drain,

The power control lever 49 is now moved to such position that the clutch 38 engages the oscillating driving member 35, with the result that the vertical shaft 25 is oscillated" and consequently, due to its connecting mechanism, the wash tub 63. The clothes are, of course, agitated by means of the bladed portions 66, within the tub, the latter of course being filled to its normal water level with wash water. Rinse water has been poured into the rinse water tub 59 through the portion 80, with the result that the tub 61 is floated to an upward position wherein the catch member 87 engages the corresponding receiving portion 89 operating to hold same in an upward position, although initially moved to said upward position by rinse water.

It is apparent, also, that the upper portion 86 of the wash water tub 61 is above the circumferential opening and water exit portion of the upper end ofthe wash tub 63.

Following the washing Operation, it is of course necessary to spin out the dirty wash water into the wash water compartment. This is accomplished by moving the power lever to a spin position, which operates to disengage the oscillating driving means for the vertical drive shaft and throw into engagement the pinion 24 which is continuously driven by the worm 23. This results in a rotary movement of the drive shaft 25 and a consequent rotation of tub 63, which in turn, due to centrifugal force, raises the dirty wash water up along the sides of the tub 63 and ejects .same through the circumferential opening at the upper end, and inasmuch as the wash water tub is raised to an upward position in a manner to receive such ejected wash water, it will be thrown into the wash water tub 61 until the wash water in the tub has been emptied.

It is now of course desirable that the clothes remaining in the tub be rinsed. This is accomplished by movement of the manual water control lever 108 to a rinse position, .where the valve 96 is moved downwardly through the connected gear and ratchet to such position that the valve openings 97 coincide with the series of peripheral openings in the column 56, the same corresponding with the interior of the rinse tub, whereupon the rinse water may flow down from the rinse tub through the valve openings upwardly within the column, and into the wash tub through the openings 92 and circumferential opening previously described, formed in the bearing for the wash tub. Thus, when the rinse water has been emptied from the upper portion of the rinse tub, the same will then be of course in the washing machine tub, whereupon the operator moves the water control valve 108 again to a closed or neutral position and the operator may then move the power driving control lever 49 first to an oscillating position, whereupon the clothes within the tub may be thoroughly rinsed.

It now being desired that the rinse water be thrown from the washing machine tub back into the rinse compartment previous to the drying operation, the operator must first depress the tensioned latch member 90 in a manner to release the previously elevated wash water tub 61.

Due to the fact that the wash. water tub is filled with liquid, and when the latch is released, same will move ;to adownward position, where the top portion of the wash water tub 61 will be below the circumferential opening in the upper end of the wash tub. When the operator moves the power controllever to a spin posi-' tion, the washing machine tub 63 will rotate, and due to centrifugal action the rinse water will be ejected from the upper-end of the machine over the cover portion or rim 86 for the wash water tub and into the rinsing compartment. When the tub has been completely emptied of rinse water, the operator permits the tub and clothes content to rotate until the clothes are completely dried, or at least dried sufliciently for 1 5 the ironing operation, whereupon he moves the clutch to a neutral position and thereafter shuts off the machine.

- It is now necessary to move the water control valve to a drain position, which is as a matter of fact a complete downward movement of the valve, which permits the valve openings 97 to coincide with the openings 95, thus permitting water to flow out of the rinse tub and also, due to the extreme downward. movement of the valve, the upper end- 98 of the valve. sleeve will be below the peripheral openings 94 connecting with the opening into the wash water tub 81, with the result that the water within said tub may pass over the end of the valve sleeve through the openings and finally out the drain 110 just as the rinse water did. Obviously, there being no water in the wash water tub, there is no necessity for draining. However, it is apparent that there is a drain opening at this time between the wash water tub and the water exit,

portion 110. 7

Although a complete description of the operation has been given, it might be stated that if at any time the operator .desires to vary the normal sequence of operation he may readily do so by a corresponding movement of the driving control and valve control members.

What I claim is:

1. In a washing, rinsing and drying machine, the combination of a wash tub, means for rotating the wash tub, a vertically adjustable wash water tub of greater diameter than the said wash tub and mountedconcentrically with respect to said wash tub, a rinse watertub of greater diameter than said wash water tub and mounted concentrically with respect to said wash water tub, means for rotating the wash tub to eject water therefrom, means for. directing the ejected water into either the ri'nse water tub or the" wash water tub depending upon the position of the latter, and means for selectively controlling the flow of water from the rinse tub and the wash water tub to said wash tub. c

2. A combined washing, rinsing and drying machine, comprising a wash tub, means for rotating the wash tub, a vertically adjustable'wash water tub concentrically mounted with respect to said wash tub and spaced therefrom and having an inturned rim, means for adjusting the relative position of said rim with respect to the rim of said wash tub longitudinally of the axes of said tubs, and a rinse watertub having a diameter greater than that of the wash water tub and mounted concentrically with respect to said wash water tub, means for rotating. the wash tub to eject water therefrom, means for directing the ejected water into either the rinse water tub or the wash water tub depending upon the position of the latter, and means for selectively controlling the flow of water from the rinsetub and the wash water 'tub to said wash tub.

, 3. A combined washing, rinsing and drying machine, comprising a shaft, a cylindrical column surrounding said shaft, a wash tub rotatably mounted on said cylindrical column, a vertically adjustable wash water tub mounted on said column concentrically with respect to said wash tub and surrounding the wash tub and having an inturned flange, said wash water tub being capable of movement on said column tub when the wash water tub is in the lowerposition, and means for controlling the flow of water from the rinse tub to said wash tub.

4. A combined washing, rinsing and drying machine, comprising a cylindrical column, a

wash tub rotatably mounted thereon, driving 7 mechanism including a clutch control to selectively oscillate or rotate said tub, a vertically adjustable wash water tub mounted on said cylindrical column concentrically with respect to said wash tub and having-an inturned flange and surrounding said wash tub, said wash water tub being movable on said column to an upper position in which the water ejected from the wash tub during rotation passes under said flange, or to a lower position in which the water from the wash tub passes over said flange, means to raise or lower said wash water tub, a rinse tub surrounding the wash water tub, and a water valve control mechanism controlling the flow of waterfrom rinse tub and wash water tub to said wash tub.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a wash tub, drive mechanism including a clutch control to selectively oscillate or rotate said tub, a rinse tub surrounding said first named tub and mounted concentrically with respect thereto, said rinse tub having a capacity for containing a normal supply of rinse water, a vertically adjustable wash water tub mounted concentrically with respect to said wash tub and disposed between the rinse tub and the wash tub, said wash water tub being normally floated by the rinse water, and means for maintaining said wash water tub in a position to receive the wash water ejected from'the-wash tub upon rotation of said wash tub or for releasing said wash water tub from such position to permit water ejected from the-wash tub to pass thereover and into said rinse tub, and valve means for controlling the flow of water from said rinse tub 'or said wash water tub into said wash tub.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a wash tub, driving mechanism therefor including a vertical drive shaft, said driving mechanism including a clutch control to selectively oscillate or rotate said tub, said mechanism also including brake mechanism operated to decrease the speed of the drive shaft following the unclutching of the same from a rotating connection, a vertically adjustable wash water tub mounted concentrically with respect to said wash tub and surrounding the same, a rinse water tub mounted concentrically with respect to said wash water tub and surrounding the same, valvemechanism controlling the flow of wash water and rinse water into the wash tub and means for selectively directing fluid from the wash tub into either one of said other tubs.

RANSOM Y. BOVEE. 

